GENERAL
When: August 17 - December 11, 2009
Lecture: MWF, 10:05 - 10:55 am
Where: ES&T L1175
Instructor Office Hours: Will be held in my office (see above) on Mondays and Thursdays from 11 am - 12 pm, or by appointment.
Teaching Assitant Office Hours: ES&T 2120, Tuesdays 2 - 3 pm and Thursdays 3 - 4 pm, or by appointment.
Course Objectives:
This course is an introduction to methods used to visualize and understand the history, shape, mechanical structure,
and dynamics of the solid-earth system. We will discuss how geophysical tools, including seismology,
gravity, magnetism, heat flow, geochronology, and geodesy, are used to understand the age, whole-earth
and near-surface structure, and to quantify the kinematics and dynamics of plate tectonics.
Prerequisites
- Physics 2212: Introduction to Physics I
- EAS 2600: Earth Processes and Products
Required Text:
- Fowler, C.M.R., The Solid Earth: An Introduction to Global Geophyics, 2nd Edition, Cambridge University Press, 685 pp., 2005.
Class Communications:
You will occasionally receive class information
via email to your prism account. Because this information may not be communicated
in class, you should be sure to read messages identified as [EAS: Geophysics].
In emailing me for class, please add [EAS: Geophysics] to the subject line and
identify yourself by name in the message since not all prism accounts clearly
identify the email's author.
Course Outline:
This is an approximate outline of topics and timing and is subject to change throughout the semester.
| Week | Date | Topic | HW/Exams |
| 1 | 8/17 - 19 | Introduction: | |
| | | - Why Geophysics? | |
| | | - Math review | |
| | | - Geophysical approximation | |
| 1-3 | 8/21 - 9/2 | Plate Tectonics and Geodynamics | |
| | | - The geometry and kinematics of plate motions | |
| | | - Survey and characterization of plate motions | |
| | | - Types and importance of plate boundaries | HW 1 |
| | | - Plate reconstructions and dating | |
| | | - Paleomagnetism and polar wander | |
| | | - Modern measurements of plate motions | |
| | | - Mechanisms and consequences of plate tectonics | |
| 3-5 | 9/4 - 9/18 | Seismology: Earth imaging and earthquake characterization | |
| | (no class 9/7) | Labor Day | |
| | | - Seismic waves | HW 2 |
| | | - Earthquake seismology | beachballs handout |
| | | - Seismic imaging: reflection, refraction, and tomograph | |
| | | - The seismometer | |
| | 9/21 | | Mid-term 1 |
| 6-7 | 9/23 - 10/2 | Earth Gravity | |
| | | - Mass distribution and relation to gravity | |
| | | - Geopotential and the shape of the earth | |
| | | - Gravity anomalies | |
| | | - The gravimeter | |
| | | - Isostasy | HW 3 |
| | (no class 10/5) | fall break | |
| 8-9 | 10/7 - 10/16 | Geochronology: | |
| | | - Geologic time: from relative to absolute | |
| | | - Prinicples of geochronology | |
| | | - Modern methods | |
| | | - Estimations of the Earth's Age | HW 4 |
| 10-11 | 10/19 - 10/28 | Internal Heat Engine: | |
| | | - Sources of Earth's heat | |
| | | - Mechanisms of heat transport | |
| | | - Global heat flow and heat loss | |
| | | - Tapping Earth heat: geothermal energy | |
| | 10/30 | | Mid-term 2 |
| 12-13 | 11/2 - 11/1 | Deep Earth structure: | |
| | | - Internal structure from seismology | |
| | | - Planetary inertia and moment | HW 5 |
| | | - Mantle convection | |
| | | - The Geodynamo | |
| 14-15 | 11/16 - 11/25 | Lithoshperic structure: | |
| | | - Oceanic lithospheric formation | |
| | | - Oceanic lithospheric destruction | |
| | | - Growth of continents | |
| | | - Formation of contiental basins | |
| | (no class 11/27) | Thanksgiving | |
| 16 | 11/30-12/4 | Course Wrap-up: Emergent geophysics | |
| | | Guest lectures on research at Georgia Tech | |
| | 12/7 - 12/11 | | Final |
EVALUATION:
Your course grade will be based on three criteria: homework (30%), 2 mid-term exams (2 x 20%), and a final exam (30%).
Homework:
Homework will be assigned every 2 weeks and will be due one week
from assignment. Late homework will not accepted without prior authorisation.
See the academic honesty section (below), for information on working together.
Exams:
There will be two equally weighted exams that will be administered during normal class hours, and one
final exam administered during exam week.
The first two exams will focus on material covered since the previous exam, while the final exam
will be comprehensive.
Missed exams will receive a score of zero unless approved and rescheduled beforehand.
ACADEMIC HONESTY:
General: It is expected that all students are aware of their individual
responsibilities under the
Georgia Tech Academic Honor Code,
which will be strictly adhered to in this class.
Problem Sets: Students are encouraged to work together on developing
solutions to problem sets; however, the solutions/answers that are turned
in must be the work of each individual. Include the name of individuals consulted
for each problem that you sought aid in answering (including the instructors).
Exams: All information required for exams will be supplied. Reference
to texts or other documents during exams is strictly forbidden. The use of
electronic devices (e.g. cellular phones, computers etc.) other than
non-programmable calculators during exams and quizzes is not allowed.
The complete text of the Academic Honor Code may be found at http://www.honor.gatech.edu/.
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Geophysics Home | anewman  gatech.edu | Updated:
Fri Nov 6 10:01:33 EST 2009
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